Ice skate sharpener



Jan. 12, 1965 Filed May 17, 1963 G- J. MORITH ICE SKATE SHARPENER 2Sheets-Sheet 1 Gilbert .1 Morifh INVENTOR.

BY fizmaofiu.

MM 19m Jan. 12, 1965 G. J. MORITH ICE SKATE SHARPENER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2Filed May 17, 1963 Fig.4

' Fig. 8

Gilbert .1 Morifh IN VENTOR.

United States Patent 3,164,932 IE KATE SHAENER Giibert .I. Morith, 14 N.Spruce St., Batavia, N.Y. Filed May 17, 1963, Ser. No. 281,122 6 Claims.(Cl. 51-170) The present invention generally relates to portablegrinding devices, and is more particularly concerned with a novel iceskate blade grinding attachment for portable electric hand drillscapable of hollow grinding the ice skate blades.

It is one of the primary objects of the instant invention to provide ameans whereby the blade of anice skate can be quickly and properlysharpened in a professional manner.

A further object 'of the instant invention is to provide a novelgrinding attachment, including a blade jig and grinding wheel, which ismountable and driven by a conventional hand electric drill.

In conjunction with the above object, it is also an object of theinstant invention to provide an ice skate sharpener which can beutilized anywhere a source of power for the hand drill is available, theskate being merely grasped between the knees and the jig being en gagedover the blade so as to guide the rotating grinding wheel there along.

A further object of the instant invention is to provide means on thesharpener for accommodating a variety of different width blades.

Likewise, it is anobject of the instant invention to, as deemeddesirable, incorporate both a safety shield between the grinding wheeland the user, and an auxiliary handle for assisting in the guiding ofthe device along the skate blade.

An additional object of the instant invention is to provide :a devicewhich is relatively simple in construction, capable of economicalmanufacture, easy to use, and, aside from the grinding wheel itself,susceptible to no appreciable deterioration or wear regardless of thenumber of times it is used.

These together with other objects and advantages which will becomesubsequently apparent reside in the details of construction andoperation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, referencebeing bad to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, whereinlike numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIGURE 1 is an enlarged perspective view illustrating the manner ofusing the device of the instant invention;

FIGURE 2 is a perspective view of the grinding attachment or skatesharpener prior to attachment to the hand drill illustrated in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is an elevational cross-sectional view taken through thesharpener illustrating the manner in which it is attached to the powersource and the manner in which the skate blade is engaged;

FIGURE 4 is a partial oross-sectional'view taken sucstantially on aplane passing along line 44 in FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 5 is a bottom plan view ofthe sharpener attachment;

FIGURE 6 is a view illustrating the manner in which the grinding wheelengages the blade edge;

FIGURE 7 illustrates one of the pins used to reduce the effective widthof the blade-receiving slot; and

FIGURE 8 illustrates another form of pin.

Referring now more specifically to the drawings, reference numeral 10 isused to generally designate the grinding attachment or ice skate bladesharpener. This sharpener 10 consists basically of a jig 12 receivableover the blade 14 of an ice skate 16 and movable there along, and agrinding wheel 18 engageable with the edge 20 of the blade 14 so as toproduce the desired hollow grinding thereof. 2

The jig 12 consists of a solid generally rectangular body 22 having theforward end 24 thereof upwardly and forwardly angled, the upper orforward end of the forward portion 24 having a transverse slot 26therein, this transverse slot fixedly receiving an enlarged transparentplastic or glass shield 28 so as to protect the operator during the useof the sharpener 10.

Extending longitudinally through the body 22 of the jig 12 is ablade-receiving slot 3i this slot 30 extending inwardly from the bot-tomof the jig so as to allow for a positioning of the blade 14 therein inthe manner illustrated in FIGURES 1, 3 and 4.

In order to facilitate movement of the jig- 12 along the blade 14, theice skate 16 normally being secured in position either by means of avise or between the knees of the user of the sharpener 10 as illustratedin FIGURE 1, a pair of nylon roller bearings 32 are provided rotatablymounted adjacent each end of the slot 31), these rollers 32 being asclose as possible to the inner end of the slot 30 so as to enable theuse of as much of the slot depth as possible in guiding the jig 12 onthe blade 14.

Furthermore, in order to adapt the sharpener 10 for different widthblades 14, a means is provided for varying the effective width of theslot 30, it of course being realized that lateral movement between thejig 12 and blade 14 must be prevented if the proper grinding of the edge20 is to result While it is contemplated that various means be utilizedto reduce the effective width of the slot 30 within the scope of theinstant invention, the preferred means consist of the use of pins 34,preferably four in number, received in vertical bores 36 extendingdownwardly into and through a major portion of the body 22 of the jig12, these bores, two on each side of the slot 31), being located so asto in eifect have the central axis thereof in the same plane as thecorresponding side of the slot 30 so as to provide that only one-half ofeach pin projects into the slot 30. These pins 34, with attention nowbeing also directed to FIGURE 7, are to be provided in sets, each sethaving the lower portion 38 of the pins 34 therein of a predetermineddiameter, the different sets having different diameter portions 38, itbeing appreciated that this portion 38 corresponds to the portion of thepin 34 which projects beyond the inner end of the slot 30 and into theslot 30, the upper portion 40 of each pin 34 being constant regardlessof the diameter of the corresponding portion 38. This portion 40 ismaintained constant for all of the pins 34 in order that I the pins 34,regardless of the diameter of the portions 38,

might be snugly received within the bores 36 so as to prevent anyundesirable lateral movement thereof during the movement of the jig 12along the blade 14.

Referring to FIGURE 8, it will be noted that a modified form of pin 34has been shown therein, this pin having a polygonal upper portion 46 anda cylindrical lower portion 38 depending eccentrically therefrom. Thelower portion 38' is spaced a different distance from each of the sidesof the portion 4%), which is snugly received within a mating polygonalvertical bore, whereby the effective width of the slot 31) can be variedby a rotation of the pins 34. It will of course be appreciated that awithdrawal of the upper portion 40' from the bore is necessary beforethe pin 34 can be rotated.

The actual grinding of the edge 20 of the blade 14 is accomplished bythe grinding wheel 18. This wheel 18, having a beveled edge 42, includesan elongated shank 44 fixed to the center thereof and extendinglaterally therefrom through a downwardly and forwardly inclined borethrough the forward portion 24 of the jig 12, the shank or shaft 44being rotatably received therein. Maintaining the grinding wheel 18 afixed predetermined distance from the forward face of the angled forwardportion 24 are a pair of adjustable collars 4S and 50 secured about theshaft 44. The driving power is supplied to the grinding wheel 18 throughthe shaft 44 from a conventional portable electric hand drill 52, or forthat matter, any other suitable power source capable of engaging thefree end of the shaft 44 and effecting a rotationthereof.

In operation, first the width of the slot 30 is adjusted, if necessary,through the pins so as to correspond to the width of the blade 1 to besharpened. Next, the location of the grinding wheel 18 is adjusted bymeans of the collars 48 and 50 so as to ensure the desired grindingcontact with the blade edge 2%), it incidentally being noted that thebore 46 and slot 34 are in the same vertical plane thus ensuring theproper hollow grinding contact of the wheel 18 with the blade edge 20.The jig 12 is then positioned on the blade 14 adjacent the end ofthe'blade 14 closest to the operator, the sharpener being tiltedslightly back on the rear nylon roller bearing 32 so as to maintain thegrinding wheel out of contact with the blade edge 20, this beingillustrated in phantom lines in FIGURE 3. The electric motor 52 isturned on and the sharpener gradually tipped forward until the bladeedge 20 is engaged by the grinding wheel 18 at which time the sharpeneris moved forward and backward along the blade edge 29 until the requiredsharpness is achieved, this required sharpness being gaged by the frontroller coming in Contact with the blade edge 26 and limiting the forwardpivoting movement of the sharpener 19. After the required sharpness isachieved in this manner on the major portion of the length of the blade14, the skate 16 is reversed and the end which was previously nearest tothe operator is finished and blended into the adjoining sharpenedportion of the blade 14. If necessary, a fiat grinding stone can be usedto remove any burrs which might have developed at the side of the blade.Furthermore, in order to assist in guiding the jig 10 along the blade14, it is contemplated that a handle be secured to one side thereof andproject laterally therefrom, this handle being referred to by referencenumeral 54.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles ofthe invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes willreadily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limitthe invention to the exact construction and operation shown anddescribed, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalentsmay be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention asclaimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. A jig for use in conjunction with a grinding wheel and drive meanstherefor, said jig consisting of a solid body having an upwardly andforwardly angled forward portion, a downwardly and forwardly angled borethrough said forward portion, and a full length slot extending inwardlyfrom the bottom of said body, spaced roller bearing means located withinthe slot adjacent the bottom thereof, and means for varying theeffective width of the slot, said last mentioned means consisting ofspaced pairs of vertical bores extending inwardly from the top of thebody, said bores each having a diameter thereof coplanar with one or theother of the vertical sides of the slot, and elongated pins of apredetermined effective diameter removably positioned within thesevertical bores.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein said slot is in the same vertical planeas-the angled bore through the forward portion of the jig body.

3. The device of claim 2 including a transparent shield secured to theupper end of the upwardly angled forward portion and extending upwardlytherefrom at substantially the same angle.

4. The device of claim 3 including a handle secured to and projectinglaterally from the jig body.

5. A sharpener for ice skate blades including a jig consisting of a bodyhaving a full length vertical blade receiving slot in the bottomthereof, an upwardly and forwardly angled portion on said body, adownwardly and forwardly angled bore through said angled portion, agrinding wheel located forward of the angled portion, a shaft secured atone end to the center of said wheel and extending laterally therefromand through the bore, and motor means drivingly engaged with the otherend of the shaft.

6. The device of claim 5 including means for varying the distancebetween the wheel and the forward face of the angled portion, and meansfor varying the effective width of the slot.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,273,624 Krollius July 23, 1918 2,251,849 Mawle Aug. 5, 1941 2,293,103Blomcen Aug. 13, 1942 2,621,452 Wells Dec. 16, 1952 2,718,248 DimmerSept. 20, 1955 2,999,402 Brafton Sept. 12, 1961

5. A SHARPENER FOR ICE SKATE BLADES INCLUDING A JIG CONSISTING OF A BODYHAVING A FULL LENGTH VERTICAL BLADE RECEIVING SLOT IN THE BOTTOMTHEREOF, AN UPWARDLY FOR FORWARDLY ANGLED PORTION ON SAID BODY, ADOWNWARDLY AND FORWARDLY ANGLED BORE THROUGH SAID ANGLED PORTION, AGRINDING WHEEL LOCATED FORWARD OF THE ANGLED PORTION, A SHAFT SECURED ATONE END TO THE CENTER OF SAID WHEEL AND EXTENDING LATERALLY THEREFROMAND THROUGH THE BORE, AND MOTOR MEANS DRIVINGLY ENGAGED WITH THE OTHEREND OF THE SHAFT.